Shower heads having a constant volume



May 29, 1962 FRASER Re. 25,173 SHOWER HEADS HAVING A CONSTANT VOLUMEAUTOMATIC CONTROL DEVICE Original Filed April 20, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR Jamefi Ha/Jar ATTORNEYS May 29, 1962 V I J FRASER Re. 25,173

SHOWER HEADS HAVING A CONSTANT VOLUME AUTOMATIC CONTROL DEVICE OriginalFiled April .20, 1959 2 Sheety-Sheet 2 35 g 34 INVENTOR James Frms'er BY5% W M ATTORNEYS United States Patent 25,173 SHOWER HEADS HAVING ACONSTANT VOLUME AUTOMATIC CONTROL DEVICE James Fraser, Wilmington, Del.,assignor to Speakman Company, Wilmington, Del.

Original No. 3,007,648, dated Nov. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 807,381, Apr. 20,1959. Application for reissue Jan. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 170,307

4 Claims. (Cl. 239460) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in theoriginal patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matterprinted in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

This invention relates to a combination of a flow control device andvalve structure.

One of the problems encountered in the modern community is the excessiveuse of water, industrially and domestically. It has become necessary tocontrol the water consumption, particularly in household use. Thepresent invention is for a flow control device that can be installed inconjunction with ordinary valve fixtures for use in controlling the flowof water and the quantity of water, and the individual problems of eachseparate installation.

It is an object of the present invention to so mount the control valvewith the volume control device so as to permit ready access for repairwithout extensive dismantling of the assembly.

It is another object of the present invention to combine a flow controldevice with an ordinary plumbing fixture without excessive redesigningof the fixture.

The various features of novelty which characterize this invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming partof this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,however, its advantages and specific objects obtained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which have been illustrated a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front elevational View, partially broken awayto show the mounting of the flow control unit.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a modification of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a horizontal sectional view on line 77 of FIG. 6.

Referring more in detail to the drawings; a vandal proof shower headhaving a base plate 20 is attached to its support (not shown), andsupports a casing 22, shown in FIG. 1. Across the lower end of thecasing is a face plate 23 having plungers 24, 24 therein and beingattached to the casing by means of machine screws 25, 25. Water isadmitted to the casing by means of inlet 26, shown in FIG. 2, and passesthrough the conduit 27 through the yielding apertured disk type flowcontrol device assembly 28 (shown in FIG. 3), and flows into the casingthrough the vents 29, 29, shown in FIG. 1, 2 and 4. The fiow controldevice is held in position by means of the cap 30 which seals off theopening in the casing.

When mounting a shower head of this type, the shower head is fastened tothe support, and the water supply inlet 26 is attached to the casing sothat the conduit 27 is in Re. 25,173 Reissuecl May 29, 1962communication with the inlet 26. The plungers 24, 24 are adjusted in theface plate 23' and the water control valve (not shown) is then opened. Aconstant volume spray is then delivered by this shower head regardlessof variations in pressure of the water admitted to the inlet 26.

If it is desired to repair the regulator the cap 30 is removed, theregulator withdrawn and either repaired or replaced by a new one. Thisdoes not require the dismantling of the assembly and permits readyaccess to the flow control unit.

The second modification of the device is shown ir FIGS. 5, 6 and 7,wherein a manually controlled showei head has a casing 32, shown in FIG.5. This casing has an inlet 33 at one end and a face plate 34 at theothei end. The plungers 35, 35 are suspended on the yoke 3t and areretained within the opening in the face plate b3 means of this yokewhich is suspended by the pin 31 attached to the eccentric 38, which isrotated by the handle 39, the plunger therefore being manually adjustable. The upper end of the casing has attached thereto a ball joint40. Retained within the ball joint, b means of the lip 41, is a yieldingapertured disk type flou control device 42, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

On assembly, the shower head has inserted within it: ball joint the flowcontrol device, and is then attachec to the supply pipe having a waterinlet 33. When 'tllt Water is admitted through this inlet, the water iscontrolled by a valve (not shown) and it then flows pas the flow controldevice 42 and into the shower heat casing 3 2. The force of this sprayis controlled by ad justing the plungers by means of the handle 39'Withir the face plate 3 4 but the volume of the spray is maintaineconstant by means of the yielding apertured disk type fiov controldevice. When it is desired to either replace 0: inspect this device, theshower head is removed from tilt inlet 33 and the flow control devicemay then be re moved from the ball joint. It is not necessary to1'61110Vt the face plate 34 or in any way disassemble the showe: head.

The automatic flow control device referred to abov is of the yieldingapertured type and usually comprises 2 bottom portion and an upperportion and a resilien portion therebetween which maintains a constantflow 0 water usually about 4 /2 gals. per minute from the showe. headregardless of the pressure in the water main. T'ni device is automaticand does not require any manna adjustment. It is not a manual valvesimilar to thr usual shut-off valves associated with some shower headsbut does comprise a unit which is placed wholly withii the shower headand is not capable of adjustment withou dissasembling the shower head.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statute the best forms ofembodiment of this invention have bee] illustrated and described, itwill be apparent to thost skilled in the art that changes may be made inthe form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from th spirit ofthis invention as set forth in the appended claim and that in some casescertain features may be used tr advantage without a corresponding use ofother features What is claimed is:

1. In a shower head producing a relatively constan volume showerirrespective of water pressure in the wate main, the combinationcomprising: a casing having water supply inlet and a spray outlet, 21ball joint betwee: the water main and the water supply inlet, anautomati flow control device comprising a supported bottom por tion, amovable upper portion, a resilient portion betwee: said upper and saidbottom [portion] portions, said auto matic flow control device beingpositioned in the bal joint between the water main and the casing, saidspraj ltlet comprising a face plate having apertures therein 1d plungersmanually, adjustably retained within the \SIIIg.

2. In a shower head producing a relatively constant )lume showerirrespective of water pressure in the water .ain, the combinationcomprising: a casing having a ater supply inlet and a spray outlet, anautomatic flow mtrol device comprising a supported bottom portion, a.ovable upper portion, a resilient portion between said qper and saidbottom [portion] portions, said automatic )W control device beingpositioned between the water ain and the casing, said spray outletcomprising a face ate having apertures therein and plungers within theerture fixed within the casing.

3. In a shower head producing a relatively constant )lume showerirrespective of water pressure in the water ain, the combinationcomprising: a casing having a ater supply inlet and a spray outlet, anautomatic flow mtrol device comprising a supported bottom portion, aovable upper portion, a resilient portion between said aper and saidbottom [portion] portions, said automatic )w control device beingpositioned in the source of water lpply whereby the water flowingthrough the inlet must 4 pass through the flow control device beforeentering the casing.

4. A shower head producing a relatively constant volume showerirrespective of water pressure in the water main, the combinationcomprising; a casing having a water supply inlet and a spray outlet, aball joint in said inlet, an automatic flow control device comprising asupported bottom portion, a movable upper portion, a resilient portionbetween said upper and said bottom portions, said automatic flow controldevice being positioned in the ball joint, whereby the water flowingthrough the inlet must pass through the flow control device beforeentering the casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent or the original patentUNITED STATES PATENTS

